The Blue Army, refreshed from their rest at Roscof, stood poised to continue their relentless advance. Boots sloshed in the damp autumn soil, wagons groaned under the weight of supplies, the sounds a constant reminder of their purpose. The plan was a two-pronged offensive, a strategic pincer movement designed to crush the remaining Coalition resistance. Roscof, secured, required only a token garrison.
Captain Yuter led the 1st Battalion westward towards Konsburg, comprised of the 1st Infantry Company, the 1st and 2nd Logistics Platoons, the 1st and 2nd Cavalry Platoons, and the 1st and 2nd Squads of the KAF. Eastward, towards Techiya, marched the main force, led by Colonel Odin and the General/Queen Kylia herself. This contingent, the 2nd Battalion, included the 2nd Infantry Company, the 3rd and 4th Logistics Platoons, the 3rd and 4th Cavalry Platoons, and the 3rd Squad of the KAF.
Kylia's battalion followed the winding course of the Rishka River, the air growing progressively colder as they approached Techiya, less than 10 kilometers away. The climate, reminiscent of Prince George, BC, Canada, with its fluctuating temperatures, was a stark reminder of the harshness of this land.
As the gates of Techiya came into view, Kylia raised a gloved hand, halting the column. Her voice, though laced with a hint of boredom, carried the undeniable weight of command. "Establish a perimeter. KAF, secure the skies. Infantry and cavalry, form a defensive line."
The lack of any immediate intercepting force from Techiya was unsettling, a testament to the Blue Army's overwhelming dominance after the devastating victory at the Battle of Kylia. The Coalition, crippled and demoralized, could only watch helplessly as their cities fell one by one before the inexorable Blue tide.
Colonel Odin approached Kylia, his expression respectful. "Your Majesty, our artillery is prepared and ready to commence the bombardment of Techiya."
Kylia's blue eyes narrowed slightly. "Order them to fire at once. I intend to conclude this phase of the campaign before the year's end."
"At once, Your Majesty. Cannons will commence firing in three… two… one…"
The earth shuddered as the Blue Army's artillery unleashed its fury. Explosions ripped through the air, tearing into the city walls. Coalition soldiers unfortunate enough to be stationed there were instantly obliterated, their bodies shredded by the brutal force of the round shot. The stone walls, weakened by relentless volleys, began to crumble and collapse under the barrage.
"Glory to Kylia!" two hundred Kylian infantrymen roared, charging through the breaches in the wall, eager to claim the city.
"Attack!" The commander of the 1st Cavalry Platoon's voice boomed. With a thunder of hooves, the Kylian cavalry surged into the city, following the infantry's bloody path. "Kill!" The cry echoed through the narrow streets, as the riders, their horses neighing in anticipation, fanned out to seize strategic locations. Their mission: secure vital junctions, supply depots, and administrative buildings with ruthless efficiency.
The resistance crumbled quickly. "We surrender!" Coalition soldiers, realizing the futility of further bloodshed, cried out in despair. The Blue Army's reputation had preceded them, a terrifying testament to their unwavering might.
The speed of their advance was significantly faster than during the capture of Roscof City, a reflection of their improved logistics and the demoralized state of the enemy.
By evening, the last pockets of Coalition resistance in Techiya had been extinguished. The Blue Army, victorious once more, stood triumphant.
Over to the West, Yuter was enacting the same brutal script upon Konsburg City.
"Fire your arrows!"
The remaining Coalition soldiers clinging to Konsburg's walls drew their bows, a desperate act. A dense volley of arrows soared into the air with a menacing hiss. Yet, the Kylian cannons remained beyond their reach, indifferent to the storm of projectiles.
Panic clenched the Coalition soldiers' hearts as the cannons continued their relentless barrage. "Mother Of Hylia! The Kylian weapons… the arrows can't even reach!"
"That is not a mortal weapon at all! It is a weapon of Ganon! The Kylians and Ganon are in collusion!" one cried, his voice cracking with terror.
"That is not a weapon of Ganon! That's just a new weapon developed by the Kylians!" shouted a less ignorant soldier, a scarred veteran who had somehow survived the horrors of the Battle of Kylia.
His warning was cut short. A rifle bullet slammed into his head, a gruesome fountain of blood and brains erupting from the opposite side. He crumpled, silenced forever.
The sight triggered a wave of abject terror. Some soldiers wet themselves in fear, their courage utterly shattered. Soon, they too were mowed down by the Blue Army's superior firepower, easy targets in their paralyzed state.
With the walls cleared of defenders, the Kylian infantry and cavalry surged into Konsburg, mirroring the fate of Techiya.
"How is the situation on the front line?" Colonel Yuter barked at his aide.
"Colonel, the situation is excellent. The aerial bombardment just ended, and our infantry launched an immediate attack. The Coalition's forward positions are crumbling under the assault. They are resisting, but they are not surrendering," the aide reported.
"Good. Let them resist. They cannot stop the Blue Army. Hopefully, we can capture this city before Colonel Odin takes Techiya."
A palpable rivalry crackled in the air. Colonel Odin and Colonel Yuter were locked in a fierce competition, each vying to be recognized as Kylia's favored commander.
Currently, Kylia leaned towards Odin, swayed by his longer experience. Yuter needed a decisive victory, a lightning-fast capture of Konsburg, to prove his worth and sway Kylia to his side. He needed to show her he was the superior strategist.
"When will the city be secured?" Yuter pressed.
"Colonel, our battalion's combat effectiveness is significantly higher than that of the 2nd Battalion. We've assembled the elite companies and squads from across the entire Blue Army into the 1st Battalion."
"And we are equipped with more advanced weaponry. Given our strength, we can secure the entire city within a day," the aide confidently stated.
Yuter nodded. Even with increased resistance, one day was a far cry from the months that traditional medieval sieges could drag on for.
"Well, unless the Coalition surrenders, Konsburg must be taken within one day!" Yuter commanded, his voice sharp and unwavering.
"Yes, Commander!" The aide saluted smartly and hurried off to fulfill his orders.
Colonel Yuter remained in the command tent, his gaze fixed on the map of Konsburg, muttering to himself, a hint of something bordering on a smile playing on his lips.
"The Blue Army really is the strongest, huh."
…
The grand council room of Rishka City felt heavier than usual, the silence amplified by the echoing memory of countless past decisions. Now, only two figures sat around the massive wooden table, survivors of a coalition crumbling under the weight of Kylian might: Lord Starodavniy of Kokhaver City and Lady Aysedora of Rishka City.
The recent defeat at Kylian hands hung in the air like a shroud. Lord Starodavniy, his stout Rohati frame hunched, ran a gnarled hand through his thick, greying beard. Lines etched deep into his face spoke of years spent navigating treacherous alliances and defending his people. "The Kylians... they were unexpected," he rumbled, his voice raspy but grounded. "We underestimated their strength, their... efficiency. Two thousand of our finest, swept aside like dust. To continue on this path would be the death of the Coalition."
Aysedora, resplendent in a gown that shimmered even in the dim light, adjusted a stray lock of her perfectly coiffed hair. Her lips, painted a vibrant crimson, curved into a practiced smile. "Perhaps," she drawled, her voice like polished ice, "brute force isn't the only solution. We must consider others... avenues."
Starodavniy raised a weary eyebrow. "Avenues? What are you suggesting, Lady Aysedora? Shall we simply surrender our cities, our people, and become tributaries of Kylia?"
Aysedora's smile widened, revealing perfect teeth. "Not surrender, dear Starodavniy. Negotiate. Offer them a 'peace treaty,' one that appears generous on the surface, but in actuality, serves our interests." She leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with ambition. "We offer them land, resources… tribute, perhaps. But in return, we dictate the terms. Terms that ensure our continued prosperity, our continued… influence." She paused dramatically, letting the implication hang in the air.
"Or…" she continued, a hint of calculating cunning flickering behind her beautiful eyes, "we could even become… lords under Kylia. Imagine, Starodavniy. The territories of those foolhardy enough to resist, added to our own. We could feast on the crumbs from Kylia's victory table, growing fat and powerful while they chase their own ambitions elsewhere. A feudal system, like they have in Hyrule, where each Lord can do anything under their own lands." The thought of power, of wealth, of control, seemed to visibly intoxicated her so much that she almost had a euphoric smile on her face.
Starodavniy stroked his beard, his eyes narrowed in thought. He was no fool. He understood Aysedora's vanity and ambition, but he also recognized the underlying pragmatism. "There is a certain… cunning to your suggestion, Lady Aysedora. A way to preserve what we can, perhaps even to thrive within a new order." He considered the potential pitfalls. "But such a plan requires… finesse. We must present it carefully, lest we appear weak and desperate."
"Precisely," Aysedora purred, preening under the faint praise. "I shall draft the proposal myself. I have a… certain talent for persuasion."
Starodavniy nodded slowly. "Then we shall send a messenger to the Kylians with your proposal, Lady Isadora." He hoped, for the sake of his city and the remnants of the Coalition, that this gamble would pay off. He was wary of Aysedora's vanity, but he trusted in her ruthless intelligence. Better to navigate the storm with a skilled, if self-serving, navigator than to be capsized by pride.
Little did they know that their carefully laid plans were built on a flawed understanding of the Kylian government. The very notion of surrendering their freedom to a feudal system would be inconceivable to Kylia, and especially Kylia herself. She would never allow herself, or her nation, to become chained under such a system of vampires. In their desperate attempt to survive, they were about to discover that the Kylians were playing a different game entirely.